All or Nothing
by LivenotMerelysurvive
Summary: This story has been revamped! Hermione is constantly distracted and Draco is determined to know exactly why. After Hogwarts and Final Battle. Slightly used in the lightest sense of the word AU. HermioneDraco.


**A/N: Hello everyone. I posted this one shot once before, but in all honesty it sucked. So, after careful consideration, I did a re-write. The basic story line hasn't changed, but the background information is, well, existent. I am not the one and only J.K. Rowling (or O Town). So, without further adu. All or Nothing (revamped).**

All Or Nothing

Draco sat in a dark room lit only by a scarce fire in the corner, waiting for his clock to strike seven. He was going on a third date, but this was special. He had been ready for nearly twenty minutes now and it was almost 6:50. As he sat, he thought of her.

:Flashback:

Draco ran down a hall way as the screaming got louder. The Malfoy Manor seemed colder than usual as he entered the room in which the screaming was coming from, but stopped dead in his tracks. There, bound to a chair was Hermione Granger. He looked to his father, who had his wand aimed at her from across the room, and shot him a questioning look.

"Draco, so nice of you to join us." Draco took in the rest of the room and noticed four other death eaters egging Lucius on. Judging by Hermione's condition, he walked in just in time to save her from the Cruciatus curse. She was beaten and shaking, but her eyes stared coldly at Lucius. Fear rushed through Draco's body, but his face maintained it's emotionless exterior.

"Father, how did you manage this pleasant surprise?" he said, recovering quickly.

"You just have to know the right people." Lucius motioned towards the left corner of the room. Percy, who had been guarding her that night, lay gagged and stupefied in the shadows.

"What connections you must have. May I do the honors? I have been waiting for this for years." he allowed a hint of anger and hate to flicker in his grey eyes.

"I suppose Draco, but do try to save some of the fun for us." Lucius shot him a wicked smile followed by an equally sickening wink.

:End Flashback:

At 6:55 he apperated to the restaurant and waited outside. At exactly seven, he saw his date walking towards him. She looked gorgeous.

"Hey." he said, as he put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her cheek lightly.

Hermione leaned into his embrace. "Hi."

They walked into the small restaurant in Hogsmeade. As they were seated the small talk began. How is work? Did you enjoy the weekend, it was Sunday after all. As their menus came the conversation halted. Hermione was starring intently at the menu. The waiter came to take orders. Draco ordered quickly, but Hermione just kept her eyes on that one spot on the menu.

"Can I get you anything, miss?" the waiter asked, but she didn't look up.

"Hermione?" Draco said rather loudly. Her eyes shot up at the sound of her name.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I'll have the chicken cordon blue with rice and green beans." she said this as though no time had passed.

"So, I can't believe we made it to our third official date without any world ending and/ or mind blowing catastrophes." she said nonchalantly.

_I know when he's been on your mind, that distant look is in your eyes. I thought with time you'd realize its over, over. _

**Three weeks later**

Draco had been noticing some strange behavior similar to that of there first few dates. Hermione would be mid sentence, even, and stop quite abruptly and then get this look. Her eyes looked glazed and she was obviously not in this dimension. He had a theory, but he desperately hoped he was wrong.

He was supposed to meet Hermione at a park in London. They had decided to see each other exclusively after that third date. He was ecstatic, of course. Again he thought of that night, as he waited.

:Flashback:

Draco watched as the death eaters left the room. As soon as he could no longer feel their presence, he turned and ran to Hermione.

"Hermione?" she was still staring intently at the spot that Lucius had occupied minutes ago.

"Hermione, can you hear me?" he said as he started to untie her hands and legs.

"AHHHHHHHH" Hermione screamed and flung her hands over her head. Draco grabbed her hands and pulled her out of the chair. When she was stable, he moved to untie and enervate Percy. As he walked back over to Hermione he saw her blink and it was as though the world was back in focus. She looked away for the first time and met his eyes. Quickly, she ran into his arms and hugged him.

"Thank you, Draco. Have you informed the order where we are yet?"

"No, but we have to move fast or else they will find us." he grabbed Hermione's arm and dragged her out into the hall. Percy following close behind, they tore through the castle and were almost outside the front door when Lucius grabbed Percy's arm. Draco turned back, but Percy yelled.

"Go!"

:End Flashback:

Draco wore a sad expression when she met him under the brick bridge. He kissed her and hugged her. Something just wasn't right about it. He was almost positive that his dreaded theory was indeed correct. He wanted to confront her about it, but it was a touchy subject. Lost loves aren't usually discussed when you've only been seeing each other for a few weeks. He really wanted this to work out with Hermione. Maybe not marriage, but he could see them being together for a while. After his effort in the war people saw him and the rest of his family differently. He gave the Malfoy name a second chance at decency. As they walked, she barely spoke. He wanted to be with the Hermione he knew in school. The intelligent, brave, intriguing Gryffindor he had grown up with, but the person walking beside him was merely a shell of who she once was. Sometimes he could see his old Hermione shining through, but all her spunk and attitude was gone.

_It's not the way I choose to live and something, some where's got to give, as sharing this relationship gets older, older._

**Two months later**

Draco was in his, well really their, apartment. He had woken up quite early for a Saturday and lay looking at the sleeping form of his Hermione. She was beautiful. Everything he ever wanted was sleeping next to him. She had started to break away from her odd behavior that had bothered him so. She was more attentive to his, and every one else's, existence. She drifted off into that world of hers a little less often. He was getting impatient though. He loved her. He knew it. He hadn't told her yet because he knew the state she was still in. This relationship was still a bit tentative. How can you tell someone who's heart still partially belongs to someone else that you want to be with them forever? It was tiring.

_You know I'd fight for you, but how can I fight someone who isn't even there? I've had the rest of you now I want the best of you. I don't care if that's not fair._

:Flashback:

Green light spilled from the crack in the door. Draco knew he was lost and it only made him run all the more faster. They made it through the garden, but stopped abruptly as the shadows of five death eaters crept closer. Draco closed his eyes and wished them gone. He felt Hermione shuffle her hands in her jacket. To his amazement, she produced her wand. How she kept it through her capture and torture, he may never know, but they were to fight. As the faces of Lucius, Knott, McNair, Goyle, and Crabbe wakened from the shadows, Draco gave Hermione's hand one last reassuring squeeze before casting a binding curse at McNair.

:End Flashback:

Hermione stirred and rolled over to face him.

"Good morning babe. You are up awful early." she rubbed comforting circles along his back.

"I just woke up actually."

"Liar." she said not breaking the loving gaze he had established when she woke.

_There are times it seems to me I'm sharing you with memories. I feel it in my heart, but I don't show it, show it. But then there's times you look at me, as though I'm all that you can see. Those times I don't believe its right I know it, know it. _

**Four months later**

"Fine." screamed Hermione. "If you want me to leave, I'll leave."

"That is not what I said. I said we need to talk about this or you need to leave. I don't want you to go anywhere, but you've given me no choice but to give you this ultimatum."

"I promise we will talk about it. I just can't right now."

"Right now is all I have to give you 'Mione. I've waited six months for this conversation. Honestly, I don't think I'm asking anything out of the ordinary. Do you still love him?"

She left without a word, but she had all her bags.

_Don't make me promises, baby you never did know how to keep them well. I've had the rest of you, now I want the best of you. It's timeto show and tell. _

**Two weeks later**

"I'm sorry Draco, I just don't think I can give you what you need right now. I wish I could." BEEP.

_Because I want it all, or nothing at all. There's no where left to fall. When you reach the bottom it's now or never. Is it all or are we just friends? Is this how it ends with a simple telephone call you leave me here with nothing at all._

Draco sunk into a chair in his living room with tears in his eyes. When he had let her leave, he thought she would be back, eventually. He thought he was doing the right thing; giving her space so she could see what she wanted.

:Flashback:

They stood back to back, flinging curses in every direction. They had been dueling three to two for a few minutes. Crabbe and Goyle were the first to fall. Their magic seemed to work in perfect motion together and their bodies so in tune to each other, they hardly spoke. Almost every curse was nonverbal and Draco had a suspicion that some of Hermione's were wandless as well. Lucius was dueling prominently with Draco, which left Hermione to deal with McNair and Knott. Finally, after several more minutes of intense interaction, Lucius fell.

:End Flashback:

**Five days later**

Draco sat at his kitchen table sipping his nectar of life (coffee) and reading the daily prophet.

His door bell rang. When he opened the door, his heart nearly broke. There stood a very distraught Hermione.

"I'm sorry Draco; I never should have done that to you. I thought you were being unreasonable, but I was speaking to my mum and she gave me a whole new outlook on this situation." she was definitely rambling, but he caught every word. "If you need to talk about this then we will. If our relationship depends on it, well that is not something I am willing to risk." she ran past him and sat on the couch. She almost looked afraid she might leave if she didn't anchor herself to the room. "What do you want to know?"

"What happened?" Draco said, relief written all over his face.

_Cuz you and I could lose it all of you've got no more room, no room inside, for me in your life._

Hermione paused for a moment, reflecting her options and contemplating her words. "We had been dating since the summer after sixth year. This made about two years. I thought we were happy, but one day I came home from work and Ron was sitting at my table, starring at my centerpiece. He said that he wanted to end it, that he was in love with Luna and he didn't want to hurt me, but he had to follow his heart. He apologized a million times and swore up and down that he never cheated on me. He did everything right. I couldn't blame him for not loving me anymore. I just never saw it coming. I- I don't think I love him anymore; I love the memory of him. I love what we had. I know that this is hard for you to understand, but I do love you. I don't want to fight about this anymore. I want you to trust me and I want you to know that from now on my heart is yours and yours alone."

"Hermione, I love you too. I have for months. I just couldn't tell you without knowing." She jumped off the couch and threw her arms around his neck. They stayed in this embrace for ages just staring at each other, knowing that this was right. It was finally right.

:Flashback:

Voldemort was dead. He had been defeated months ago, but his father was far too stubborn to give up his life's work. As Lucius fell, as did the last true supporter of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. McNair and Knott shot each other horrific looks and surrendered immediately. They knew their fate would be the same if they didn't and their punishment much more lenient.

Draco turned around and caught a glimpse of brown eyes before being ambushed my bushy, brown hair. Draco twisted his arms around her waste to support her weight against him. The hug turned into a chaste kiss of gratitude.

"I-I'm sorry you had to-" Hermione was interrupted as Draco's lips found hers again. She tore away and looked in his eyes.

"Draco, let's take this slow. I can't take all of this at once. Just an hour ago I thought I would die. It-It's just a bit overwhelming." she looked at him uncertainly and rested her head on his chest.

:End Flashback:

**One month later**

Draco was sitting on his bed, dressed in his best suit. He looked quite handsome, if he did say so himself. He was meeting his date at seven, at this little restaurant in Hogsmeade.

He saw his date walking towards him at seven on the dot. Everything was perfect.

"Hey sweetie" Hermione said kissing Draco passionately. It caught Draco quite off guard, but he gave into it all the same.

Dinner went well, as usual. At 8:30 they got up to leave, but Draco grabbed her shoulder. He pulled her towards him then dropped to one knee and took a huge breath.

"Hermione Granger, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

_Because I want it all or nothing at all. There's no where to left to fall. It's now or never. _

Hermione looked like she had just been hit with a boulder. Was that what she wanted? She was over Ron, but there was still an empty place in her life without him. After a few more seconds of deliberating, she looked up into his eyes. They were the eyes of her savior, her best friend, and the eyes of her future husband.

"Yes, Draco, I will."

_All._

A/N: I pray that this version was considerably better. The song used is 'All or Nothing' by O Town. Review and let me know if you liked it. Later Munchkins. : LITTLE PURPLE BUTTON : aLtO


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